Charlotte Mbuyi

Role in the project: educational research scientis
Institution: Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Charlotte Mbuyi holds a bachelor’s degree in Pedagogy (Plantyn Arthesis University College) and a master’s degree in Educational Sciences (University of Antwerp). She graduated with a master’s thesis on the social and academic integration of students from Central African descent at the University of Antwerp. During her studies she completed international internships in South Africa (Born in Africa) and Zambia (Zambian Institute for Special Education).

She is board member of Kilalo. Together with seven other highly educated young Africans she is committed to Kilalo, an organization dedicated to educational assistance to children from ethnic minority groups. With an extra focus on children with Sub-Saharan African roots. Within Kilalo Charlotte organizes educational, cultural and leisure activities for minorities groups in the community. She used to work as a counsellor in coordinating care for families and juveniles from vulnerable surroundings and in problematic educational situations.

Currently Charlotte is working as school-coach for newcomers: refugees, asylum seekers, European immigrants and expat children, at the Royal Atheneum in Antwerp. The school was founded in 1807 by Napoleon and was the first public school in the country. Working in this school gives her the opportunity to work with a global amount of pre-primary, primary and secondary schools in Belgium. Her professional experience includes currently working as a professor’s assistant of Gracienne Lauwers at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels.

Some publications:

  • Charlotte Mbuyi, Feeling at home at the university? A study into the social and academic integration of students of Central African descent, (thesis 2014).